Moment of remembrance

Saturday

May 26, 2012 at 4:00 AM

Memorial Day was established as an opportunity to remember American military members who died in our country's service.

Over the years, however, the clarity of the day has been blurred somewhat by its emergence as the unofficial start of summer. Pools open, nurseries and chain stores sell plants and mulch, and hot dogs and hamburgers are the order of the day. Nothing is wrong with any of these three-day weekend pursuits, but they have little to do with honoring the dead.

The National Moment of Remembrance movement attempts to change this. At 3 p.m. local time Monday, people around the nation are urged to stop what they are doing and observe one minute of reflection on our freedoms and the brave men and women who died in their defense.

The moment is not intended to surpass or replace traditional observances, and the many parades and services scheduled in and around the Alliance community are still excellent opportunities to gather and pay homage to the military fallen, but the national moment is another opportunity to show respect, especially for people whose work schedules may prohibit them from attending a longer, more formal service.

Wherever and however our readers mark this Memorial Day weekend, we hope it includes a mixture of indoor and outdoor activities with family and friends, all of whom will take time to reflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day.

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